State: NM

Contact: Ellary TuckerWilliams, Rocky Mountain States Senior Coordinator Highlights: Why it Matters: New Mexico Senate Bill 32 is another example of an urban-dominated legislature making decisions that negatively impact rural communities. By banning trapping on public lands, SB 32 will not only limit the ability of state and federal wildlife agencies to use science-based wildlife…

Contact: Ellary TuckerWilliams, Rocky Mountain States Senior Coordinator and Internal MARCOMM Liaison Sportsmen and women have made their voice loud and message simple – public land trapping is not going down without a fight in New Mexico. Despite passing through the Senate Conservation Committee on a 7-2 vote, Senate Bill 32 (SB 32) – Wildlife…

Contact: Ellary TuckerWilliams, Inter-Mountain Western States Senior Coordinator New Mexico Senate Bill 224 – Crime of Failure to Secure Firearm (SB 224) would make it illegal for children under 12 years of age to access or handle a firearm, period. Additionally, any child 12 to 18-years-old would not be allowed to handle or have access…

Contact: Ellary TuckerWilliams, Inter-Mountain Western States Coordinator Sportsmen and women are beginning to stir in New Mexico after a public lands trapping ban – erroneously titled the Wildlife Conservation and Public Safety Act (SB 32) – passed out of the Senate Conservation Committee (Committee) last Tuesday. Nothing about SB 32 benefits conservation or public safety and the outdoor…

Contact: Ellary TuckerWilliams, Inter-Mountain Western States Coordinator On December 1, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) submitted a letter in support of several proposed rule changes made by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) to reduce the minimum age to participate in the Mentored-Youth Hunting Program from 10 to 8, to increase the…

Contact: Ellary TuckerWilliams, Inter-Mountain Western States Coordinator On Friday, October 16, the New Mexico State Game Commission will be hosting a virtual meeting and rule hearing on a number of proposed changes to the Hunter Education rule. The newly proposed rule includes changes to reduce the minimum age to participate in the Mentored-Youth Hunting Program…

Contact: Ellary TuckerWilliams, Inter-Mountain Western States Coordinator  On March 19, a First Judicial District Court judge ordered the release of personal information of “…all successful big game applicants for the years 2015 through April 23, 2019” to Los Alamos County resident James Whitehead, from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF). In a complimentary…

By: Ellary TuckerWilliams, Inter-Mountain Western States Coordinator On February 5th, New Mexico Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair, Senator Steven Neville introduced Senate Bill (SB) 273, the “Agriculture and Natural Resources Trust Act.” The Agriculture and Natural Resources Trust Act (ANRTA) would create a state trust fund for the purpose of establishing a perpetual funding source to…

By: Ellary TuckerWilliams, Inter-Mountain Western States Coordinator  On January 29, 2020, the New Mexico Sportsmen’s Caucus and Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) hosted a very successful and well attended reception at the Inn of the Governor in Santa Fe.  “This year’s Sportsmen’s Caucus Reception was the most well-attended event we have had in the last 5 years. The evening showcased…

By: Ellary TuckerWilliams, Inter-Mountain Western States Coordinator  On November 27, New Mexico Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard withdrew over 200 acres of Rio Grande bosque State Trust Land from an agreement with New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, disallowing hunting and trapping from occurring on the land parcel, effective immediately. In a recent press…

Contact: Ellary TuckerWilliams, Inter-Mountain Western States Coordinator On November 21, the New Mexico Game Commission unanimously voted to approve a proposed regulation, prohibiting recreational trapping of cougars within the state for the 2020-2024 seasons. The attack on sportsmen’s trapping traditions and heritage in New Mexico ramped up during the 2019 legislative session after an extremely…

Contact: Ellary TuckerWilliams, Inter-Mountain Western States Coordinator On October 21, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) joined eight other New Mexico based groups in asking Governor Michelle Lujan-Grisham to oppose two rules proposed by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Commission (NMDGF) that would negatively impact trapping throughout the state. The Bear and Cougar…